-June 4th, 2014

With the ETU Kickstarter in progress and many Savage Worlds fans trying to get to know Pinebox a little better, this “film fest” talks about some of the movies we think capture the spirit of ETU and Pinebox, Texas. Pun very much intended.

This movie, released in 1998, was Robert Rodriguez’s next to direct after From Dusk Till Dawn. If you’re not familiar with The Faculty, it’s like Breakfast Club meets Body Snatchers. Like Dusk Till Dawn, it includes a number of recognizable faces–including Salma Hayek who not only starred in Rodriguez’s DtD, but also his earlier Desperado. I can’t fault the guy for his casting choices.

What makes it an ETU/Pinebox style movie? While not so much supernatural as paranormal/alien, its “something is taking over the school and we students have to fight back” premise makes it a worthy film fest entry for your ETU inspiration. Replace aliens with wholesale demonic possession–or for that matter stick with the aliens–and you’ve got yourself a pretty good setup for a campus-themed adventure. Bonus points for the paranoia of not knowing who you can trust.

(Also, can I just say how fun it is watching old movie trailers? To me 1998 was just like, yesterday, until I see how dated these trailers look. Did we really think that was a good commercial? When did movie trailers stop looking so cheesy?)

What’s it missing?The Faculty is set in high school rather than a college campus, although all the actors playing teens are almost certainly in their 20s. Also, I don’t remember where it’s set but it probably needed more monster trucks, rednecks, and hogzilla.

Next, GamerXP interviewed one of the ETU writers, Preston DuBose, and Pinnacle g0-to guy Clint Black about what to expect from ETU.

Flames Rising gave you the dirt on the Kickstarter and an overview of the books.

And finally Game Geeks did a fantastic review on Youtube, in which the word “brilliant” was used more than once. 🙂 The review also included never-before seen sneak peeks at art from the book. It’s definitely worth checking out!

-May 23rd, 2014

With the ETU Kickstarter in progress and many Savage Worlds fans trying to get to know Pinebox a little better, this “film fest” talks about some of the movies we think capture the spirit of ETU and Pinebox, Texas. Pun very much intended.

Like Dale & Tucker vs Evil, this movie is far under-appreciated. By 2009, star Megan Fox’s appeal from the first Transformers movie had already to wane, especially in light of her public tantrums and prima donna behaviour. Others dismissed it due to the way the studio’s marketing arm and the press stressed Fox’s sex appeal, from the trailer to the title. Don’t be fooled. This isn’t a movie that needed to spice things up in compensation for a weak story. Jennifer’s Body has a solid script that keeps you watching to the end. Fox and co-star Amanda Seyfried both turn in solid performances.

What makes it an ETU/Pinebox pick?Jennifer’s Body is a supernatural thriller that takes place in an academic setting. Even better, Seyfried pulls off an excellent role as a normal student forced by circumstances to find her inner hero. This more than a slasher flick. This is what we at 12 to Midnight call Heroic Horror. Good guys don’t wait to get picked off one by one or get slowly driven insane. They face the darkness and fight back.

What’s it missing? Not much. All it needs is some East Texas flavor with more of the types of odd, rural characters you find here.

-May 19th, 2014

With the ETU Kickstarter in progress and many Savage Worlds fans trying to get to know Pinebox a little better, this “film fest” talks about some of the movies we think capture the spirit of ETU and Pinebox, Texas. Pun very much intended.

This movie is criminally under-appreciated. For quite a long time you could stream it from Netflix, so be sure to start by checking there. Dale and Tucker vs Evil turns the “college kids attacked by in-bred rednecks” on its head. All poor Dale and Tucker want to do is enjoy their “fixer upper” lake house. Instead, crazy college kids keep coming out of the woods and attacking them! The day after I saw this movie I went to the store and bought a copy.

I’ll admit that I added it to my rental queue mostly based on the silly premise and the presence of Alan “Firefly’s Wash” Tudyk, but in this movie he plays the (relatively) straight man to the funny Tyler Labine.

What makes it a Pinebox pick?

D&TvE deftly flips common horror tropes like “camp murder” and “degranged rednecks” on their heads. Likewise, East Texas University keep players on their toes by sometimes using their expectations against them.

What’s off kilter?

It’s a really, really funny movie. That makes for a highly recommended night in front of the tv, but not such a great horror game. In ETU, the supernatural is no laughing matter.

-May 13th, 2014

The loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong awaited East Texas University / Degrees of Horror release is just around the corner. The Kickstarter went live today and funded in less than 2 hours. Now is your chance to contribute and pre-order not only the books, minis, maps, etc, but also unlock digital freebies based on the number of backers. The more food friends you bring to campus, the more rewards everyone earns!